We Need to Talk: Five Things Your Plumbing is Trying to Tell You

Mr. Rooter Plumbing Explains the Messages a Home's Plumbing is Sending to Owners

Mr. Rooter(R) Plumbing

Nonverbal clues and cues are the best resources for identifying hidden and yet undiscovered issues.

WACO, Texas (PRWEB) August 21, 2014

When it comes to home plumbing, nonverbal clues and cues are the best resources for identifying hidden and yet undiscovered issues. However, it’s not always easy to pick up on the messages a home’s plumbing is sending out.

To help decipher what the toilet is touting and the sink is saying, Mr. Rooter Plumbing has offered insight into five things a home’s plumbing is trying to tell its owner.

Plumbing Issue: When the dishwasher runs, it causes water to back up into the kitchen sink.

What your plumbing is telling you: A large volume of water is attempting to drain from the dishwasher all at once, but if there is an obstruction, it won’t drain at full capacity. The obstruction may not have caused a clog yet, but chances are there is one in the near future. The obstruction could be anything from food blockage or a grease build-up to a corroding drainline. An experienced handy man can remove a simple blockage, but homeowners should never use caustic products down their drain as they can cause pipe deterioration.

Plumbing Issue: Whenever the toilet flushes, the temperature in the shower changes.

What your plumbing is telling you: Both the hot and cold water lines are run into one pipe, supplying a shower with a mixture of the two to create an enjoyable shower temperature. However, when a toilet is flushed, the cold water line is attempting to supply more than one fixture, causing it to divert some of the cold water supply from the shower to the toilet. This can also happen with hot water, if the washing machine is working while the homeowner is showering. Homeowners can correct this malfunction by replacing the basic shower valve with a pressure balance shower valve, which regulates the water temperature continuously.

Plumbing Issue: The water heater is making a strange gurgling sound.

What your plumbing is telling you: Gurgling in a water heater could be indicating one of two issues. The gurgling could be a symptom of a failed thermostat causing the water to overheat and boil. This is very dangerous and a plumbing professional should be called immediately. The second issue that could cause the sound is a build-up of sediment at the bottom of the tank, causing the water heater to run longer than necessary to heat through the sediment. In either case, a professional should be contacted for diagnosis.

Plumbing Issue: The shower head has a very low pressure.

What your plumbing is telling you: The shower head jets or flow restrictor inside the head could have calcium deposits blocking them. You could try cleaning them by placing a bag of vinegar and water over the shower head to soak, or replace the shower head completely. Shower head replacement is a simple DIY project.

Plumbing Issue: The toilet and drains gurgle and/or slow drains are noticed all over the house.

What your plumbing is telling you: If a homeowner notices any of these symptoms, the drainlines are sending out warnings that although they aren’t broken, there could be serious consequences to ignoring these signs. Quite often, these are signs of a mainline blockage. A handy homeowner may be able to check an outdoor cleanout for signs of a block, but it is highly suggested a plumbing professional is called to do any work.

Not all strange pipe noises and plumbing peculiarities are trying to tell you something. However, when they are, it’s usually a message homeowners should pay close attention to; it will save everyone time, money and heartache in the long run.

About Mr. Rooter®:
Established in 1970, Mr. Rooter is an all-franchised, full-service plumbing and drain cleaning company with approximately 300 franchises worldwide. Recognized by Entrepreneur magazine among its “Franchise 500” and Franchise Times Top 200, Mr. Rooter franchisees provide services to both residential and commercial customers. Mr. Rooter is a subsidiary of The Dwyer Group, Inc., family of service franchises. For more information or to find the location nearest you, visit Mr.Rooter.com